Anatomy of a cold

[magid]

Like far too many people I know, I've got a cold. (Hrm. I notice this happens now that I'm not walking in the mornings. I should change that.) This one is a bit off my usual, though. First symptom was last Tuesday, a sore throat, which has persisted since then. I am glad my hot water urn finally made its way home from Arisia Thursday night: I've been able to have hot water on demand since then, which feels great on my throat. Friday morning, when I was starting to think that I'd get away with just a sore throat, the coughing started, and has gotten a bit worse (frequency and intensity). They're not, um, productive, but they do feel like they're making some surface or another uneven, or more exposed, or something. And some coughs are deep enough that I can feel them in my chest, because the muscles are that involved (or that's how it feels). As it happened, I had a physical scheduled today, and since my usual cold doesn't have deep coughing and does have a ton of nasal action (this cold has only minor stuff on that axis so far), I asked the doctor to confirm that it's just a cold. She did, so I'm at least comforted that it's not bronchitis. She recommended an expectorant; I should probably try that, so I can get a full night's sleep sometime soon. Also of note: I had a touch of fever for a while tonight. I have no idea how high a fever, but it didn't last too long.

Tonight someone said that they'd had the cold for eight days. I guess I've got at least two to go. *sigh*

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Refuah shleimah!

I'm so sorry you've been ill and especially not getting good sleep, and I hope the situation improves. It does seem that you are paying good attention to the situation and doing lots to take care of yourself.

Why are you now not walking in the mornings?

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I really should get to the pharmacy and get something to keep me from coughing myself awake (or keeping myself awake).

My job situation has changed, and I find it hard to motivate myself to walk for the sake of walking, without an actual destination.

[(Anonymous)]

Is it the aforementioned expectorant that you will want, or instead a suppressant? (Or maybe some nice brandy?)

I hope the change in job situation is otherwise a good thing. If you still have a little time in the morning to walk, perhaps a relatively shorter round-trip walk for an unnecessary and trivial but standing morning errand, such as to purchase a newspaper?

[magid.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever had brandy! It always sounds like something quite lovely, though also requiring an English country house, a warm fire, and a lot of interesting old books lining the shelves.

I think an expectorant; I'm of the 'better out than in' feeling about colds. In general, I don't like to medicate, because most of the medicines feel worse than the cold, in a horrible artificial way. Plus I'd rather know what I'm going through, just in case something changes. I hadn't thought about booze, though...

I'm hoping the job situation will, indeed, turn out to be a good thing. Change is always stressful, however.

And you're right, some walk would be better than none. I should figure one out (getting a paper is not good for me; I already have a clutter problem).

[(Anonymous)]

The scene you've set is so warm and inviting!

I generally agree about the expectorant. Discharging matter helps the cold to run its course. If there is nothing much to expectorate, however, and the dry cough is keeping you from sleeping, suppressing it might be the way to go.

I totally understand about wanting to remain aware when ill.

Brandy is one of the liquors often taken medicinally. Whisky too.

Change is indeed stressful. I wish for you much calm and satisfaction in the area of your livelihood.

Good point about the clutter! Any place to which to go for a morning cup of a hot beverage?

[magid.livejournal.com]

If only I had the means to provide a proper brandy setting! :-)

The weird part about this cold is that while it's mostly about the coughing (so much so that I can feel those coughing muscles each time I start up again), the matter is being discharged nasally, as per my usual sort of cold. It's a bit strange to me. (But hey, I'm finally getting down to the level of getting ick out, which is great; light at the end of the tunnel and all that.)

I should get something to make sure I sleep tonight, in any case; it's been too many days on short sleep rations...

I have neither of those alcohol forms. I do have rum and other liqueurs of the sort that are useful in cooking/baking :-).

I should get myself a destination and location, you're very right.

[(Anonymous)]

Perhaps a future vacation destination?

What a strange cold. I am glad that it finally seems to be running its course.

I really, really, really hope you are able to sleep well tonight.

Rum works. Drink it hot.

I'm not interested in being right; I'm only interested in being of help.